AG orders criminal investigation into COVID spread from Brandix plant
COLOMBO – The Attorney General has ordered police to conduct a criminal investigation into the spread of the COVID- 19 virus in and from the Brandix Apparel factory in Minuwangoda, the Coordinating Officer for the Attorney General, Nishara Jayaratne said.
In a voice recording released to the media on Tuesday (27), Jayaratne said AG Dappula de Livera had taken note of the spread of COVID-19 from the factory and that it “had endangered human life”.
Under those circumstances, the AG has ordered a comprehensive investigation to be conducted as to whether either the “management of Brandix or a government official has through neglect or oversight” led to the current situation.
Jayaratne said the AG has issued instructions in writing to the Acting Inspector General of Police, Chandana Wickramaratne, to report the progress of the investigation by November 13.
The AG has had a meeting with the head of the Legal Division of the Police Department and discussed the matter, she said.
The authorities have not been able to pinpoint as to how the virus entered the Brandix plant in Minuwangoda where around 1,200 workers produce apparel, though reports on Tuesday said intelligence officials had traced the link to an Ukrainian airline crew member, quarantined at a hotel in Seeduw, who had been confirmed as COVID-19 positive in mid September. The hotel had been sealed for several day, but the reports said the staff, who had been exposed to the virus had been allowed to go home after work each day
However, the management of Brandix has promised a comprehensive investigation of its own into the issue
Brandix Group Chief Executive Officer Ashroff Omar in a letter sent out to Brandix staff dated October 12, said that “there have been statements made that our employee safety protocol was compromised. We are conducting a comprehensive independent investigation of our factory in Minuwangoda. We will take strong action where necessary and address what needs to change in order to prevent this from happening again,” Omar wrote.
Meanwhile, labour rights activists in Sri Lanka called on the Board of Investment (BOI) to ensure the impartiality of an internal inquiry pledged by Brandix Apparel Limited into the growing Minuwangoda COVID-19 cluster.
“Brandix has promised an inquiry into the cluster that emerged from their Minuwangoda plant. To ensure that this inquiry is impartial, there needs to be some representation of the workers and also of the Labour Department. The Board of Investment has to ensure that,” Program Coordinator of Dabindu Collective Chamila Thushari told reporters.
-economynext.com/ENCL